TCWSITD – Chapter 30.1

Chapter 30 has 2 parts which will be uploaded with 30 minutes interval from each other.

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Chapter 30.1 – A Grudge Match

The audience stands were packed, and the commentators’ voices brimmed with excitement.

Both teams were ready and stepped onto the stage one by one.

As he brushed past Alike, Lin Jiang felt a familiar murderous aura.

Truthfully, Lin Jiang didn’t quite understand it.

Although he had criticized Alike before, the only thing he’d said publicly was: “His playstyle is too reckless.”

Yet Alike had held that grudge all this time.

…Alike really was the petty type.

Both sides took their seats and began setting up their gear.

While Lin Jiang was still adjusting his settings, Song Zhixu’s voice came through his headphones: “Captain, captain, make sure to teach Alike a lesson later. Don’t show any mercy.”

A’Deng cracked his knuckles. “Don’t worry, Captain. I’ll camp mid lane for sure!”

Zhou Wen chimed in, “Captain, do you want me to roam mid?”

Lin Jiang smiled and shook his head. He adjusted his microphone and said, “No need. Just stick to the tactics we laid out earlier.”

The internet wasn’t wrong about one thing—Lin Jiang really did know KUG inside out.

After a year as a rotational player and three more as a substitute, Lin Jiang had observed everything from the sidelines.

He knew KUG’s weaknesses, their habitual mistakes, and even what kind of situations they feared the most.

Lin Jiang could confidently say he understood KUG better than they understood themselves.

For the first game, OT had the side selection advantage, and Lin Jiang had chosen the blue side beforehand.

He decided to run a tempo-based composition this round.

Alike’s playstyle leaned toward aggressive, fast-paced engagements, particularly favoring small-scale skirmishes. If they faced an unexpected situation, their style would reveal its flaws.

Originally, Zeng Yuan was composed and reliable under Lin Jiang’s guidance, barely managing to control the tempo. But as Alike’s influence grew, Zeng Yuan’s words carried less weight.

Eventually, the entire KUG team became gamblers.

And gamblers rarely end well.

The draft began with Lin Jiang banning Alike’s Akali, Yone, and Vex.

KUG responded by banning Lin Jiang’s LeBlanc, Galio, and Jayce.

With six mid laners banned and OT having first pick, Lin Jiang couldn’t help but feel Alike was bringing personal grudges into this.

Well, if he wanted to act like a child, Lin Jiang wouldn’t hold back either.

Following their plan, Fang Luxing asked, “A’Jiang, first-pick Twisted Fate for you?”

Twisted Fate, also known as The Card Master.

His ultimate, Destiny, lets him teleport across the map to assist allies, making him ideal for tempo control.

With only a few mid-laners left, skipping the first pick risked giving the opponent the advantage. Fang Luxing’s suggestion made sense.

Lin Jiang replied confidently, “Let’s pick Lucian for the bottom lane first.”

OT locked in Lucian. At such a critical moment, first-picking Lucian led everyone to suspect it might be for mid lane.

KUG thought the same and responded by picking Annie and Sejuani.

Lin Jiang let out a soft chuckle. He knew Alike too well. He would never play a tempo-based mid laner just to support others. He was betting Lin Jiang had locked Lucian for mid.

—But unfortunately for him, he made the wrong bet.

OT followed up by locking in Nami and Twisted Fate.

They now had their ideal lineup—the strongest bot lane duo and the best tempo-controlling mid laner.

Murmurs spread through the audience, and even the commentators looked uneasy for Alike. “KUG’s Annie matchup against Lucian is manageable, but it’ll be tough against Twisted Fate. Additionally, OT’s Lucian-Nami combo is incredibly strong. Many teams have already suffered losses against it. How will KUG respond?”

The moment Lin Jiang locked in Twisted Fate, Zeng Yuan felt a bad premonition creeping in.

Alike had been fixated on facing Lin Jiang head-on, but he hadn’t expected Lin Jiang to sidestep the confrontation so cleanly.

Gritting his teeth in frustration, he hissed, “Coward. He doesn’t even have the guts to face me directly!”

Zeng Yuan wiped the sweat off his forehead, silently thinking, “You banned three of his mid-laners. It’s not like you gave him a chance to face you directly either…”

KUG secured Kai’Sa, and both teams entered the second ban phase, this time targeting the top lane.

Song Zhixu had been feeling smug, but when his Renekton and Ornn got banned, he nearly cried. “This is just bullying…”

“Good thing I’ve got a backup pick. Didn’t see this coming, did you, little KUG?” He muttered under his breath as he pulled out his Ornn substitute—Sion, The Undead Juggernaut.

“What about A’Deng?”

A’Deng was a bit nervous this game. Not only was he facing KUG, but also Zeng Yuan who usually mentored him. It felt like being put on the spot by his mentor.

“Lee Sin or Jarvan IV. Anything for team fights, I-I can play anything.”

Lin Jiang glanced at him and made the call. “Pick Nocturne.”

“Zeng Yuan’s Sejuani is a full-map champion. There’s no jungle she can’t control, no team fight she doesn’t make it to. If you try to match her tempo, you’re doomed. The only way to compete is by outpacing her.”

The words struck A’Deng like lightning. He’d always thought about surpassing his opponent within the same playstyle. It never occurred to him to take a different path.

And with the Nocturne–Twisted Fate combo, their tempo would be much faster than the opponent’s!

A’Deng’s confidence surged instantly.

“Got it. I’ll follow the captain’s lead.”

A’Deng was highly adaptable, much like Zeng Yuan. All he needed was someone constantly guiding him, and he’d eventually discover the playstyle that fit him best.

Lin Jiang had long since realized that A’Deng might not be the strongest jungler, but he would gradually become the one who complemented him the most.

With both teams locking in their heroes, the game began.

Both teams played with extreme caution—not daring to step even an inch across the river.

The audience cheered loudly for their respective teams—loud enough to be heard clearly even through the headsets.

For the past three years, Lin Jiang had only watched from the sidelines—perched beside the water cooler, listening to the thunderous applause meant for someone else.

His mind often played tricks on him, conjuring illusions where he stood on stage competing again, achieving the honors he had always dreamed of.

But when the dream ended, he remained the disheartened young man sitting on the sidelines.

This time, he hoped it wouldn’t be just a fleeting illusion.

As both teams took their positions, Lin Jiang maneuvered Twisted Fate mid lane against Alike’s Annie, and the livestream immediately focused on the mid lane showdown.

Lin Jiang’s control over the game’s tempo was exceptional. Champions like Twisted Fate and Galio suited him perfectly, and last year, almost no team dared to leave those picks open.

This year’s meta increased damage output, causing many teams to lose their caution toward tempo control, thereby reducing their vigilance against Lin Jiang.

And with all the explosive mid-laners banned out today, Lin Jiang’s Twisted Fate was set to be the thorn KUG simply couldn’t remove.

But first, he planned to torment Alike a little.

Before the minion wave arrived, Lin Jiang used a basic attack’s wind-up animation to fake out his opponent’s movement.

Alike, almost on instinct, thought he was about to throw his Q, so he took a cautious half-step back.

The moment Alike moved, Lin Jiang abruptly canceled his auto-attack with a quick click on the ground, then unleashed his Q ability with a sharp whoosh.

Twisted Fate’s Q skill throws out three cards, dealing damage to enemies along their path.

Alike happened to get caught in the gap of his movement and was hit by the Q skill on the spot, losing two bars of health.

After finishing the attack, Lin Jiang even flashed an icon.

It was a corgi’s butt.

Alike was left speechless: “…”

Annie’s short-range meant Alike couldn’t just retaliate recklessly. All he could do was grit his teeth and watch Lin Jiang saunter away, slow and unfazed.

Damn it, damn it, damn it!

He had prepared thoroughly, strengthened so many champions, ready to come up and fight him to the death!

Yet Lin Jiang shamelessly picked Twisted Fate to poke and prod at him!

It was enough to drive anyone insane!!

The audience erupted in laughter.

Even the commentators found the exchange amusing.

After all, Lin Jiang was known as a serious and mild-mannered veteran—someone who never flaunted emotes to mess up his opponents mentality after gaining an advantage.

Just how furious had Lin Jiang been with KUG’s contract to walk away, to taunt his former team with emotes during a match?

The commentator chuckled at the thought but didn’t dare voice it outright. Instead, he said, “All I’ll say is… I like that corgi emote too. It’s cute.”

His co-commentator chimed in, “Oh really? What a coincidence, I use it too.”

The audience cracked up at the pair’s subtle back-and-forth, some laughing so hard they doubled over.

Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know—but no one dares to say it aloud.[mfn]天知地知，你知我知，就是谁也不说出来 (tiān zhī dì zhī ， nǐ zhī wǒ zhī， jiù shì shuí yě bù shuō chū lái) – Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know, but no one says it: A well-known saying implying everyone understands the real meaning or truth, but all pretend not to for the sake of decorum or professionalism.[/mfn]

The audience also noticed something interesting—in all of Alike’s past matches against Lin Jiang, Lin Jiang had won without exception.

It was as if there was a natural restraining relationship between them, destined to ensure Alike could never triumph.

By the time both sides reached Level 3, Alike’s health was already lower than Lin Jiang’s.

Alike seethed with frustration. He truly couldn’t comprehend where Lin Jiang’s strength lay. He’d already lost to him in real life—why did he have to lose to him here too?

The thought fueled his murderous intent, now impossible to suppress.

He was itching to strike at every moment, yet Lin Jiang subtly controlled the distance, dragging out the exchanges with a rhythm that neither hurt nor itched.

The killing intent wouldn’t dissipate—it only grew fiercer.

Neither side had returned to base, and both were low on health.

Alike couldn’t wait for Zeng Yuan to come over. The instant he caught even the slightest mistake in Lin Jiang’s movement, instinct kicked in—he flashed forward and slammed a stun right onto him.

In that very instant, a Nocturne suddenly leapt out from the brush, casting a 2-second fear on him.

Lin Jiang swiftly countered with a gold card, stunning Alike from a distance. Without rushing, he calmly followed up with basic attacks and a Q skill—successfully taking Alike’s head.

The audience erupted in shock, convinced he’d been cursed!

[Flashing in to feed?]

[How dare he engage without vision?]

[Sejuani was just seconds away, why didn’t Alike wait?]

[Annie with a debuffed IQ.]

[Feed-to-win mid laner.]

After Alike died, the voice chat fell completely silent. None of his teammates dared to provoke his foul mood.

Zeng Yuan couldn’t hold back and reminded him, “Don’t let Lin Jiang dictate the pace. All of his mistakes—he lets you see them on purpose.”

Everyone thought Zeng Yuan had lost his mind. Who in their right mind calls out Alike mid-game?

Unexpectedly, Alike actually listened to him.

He thought about all the effort he’d poured in, and how He Gu was on his way to watch the match.

He didn’t want to disappoint him.

Alike calmed down. “I don’t want to lose this match. If we win, I’ll give you all red envelopes out of my own pocket.”

His teammates were stunned.

It was the first time they’d ever seen Alike humble himself.

Then their expressions hardened. They didn’t want to lose to Lin Jiang either. They didn’t want to be remembered as the team that only lived in his shadow.

After Alike’s death, KUG’s entire team displayed heightened focus.

On the top lane, driven by a burning grudge against Lin Jiang, he treated Song Zhixu like his personal enemy, pushing himself to the limit with every step.

But that damn Song Zhixu just wouldn’t take the bait.

He seemed to be born to survive. No matter if two, three, or even four enemies came for him, he’d always slip away.

In one instance, mid, jungle, and support all converged on him, yet Song Zhixu sensed it in advance and bolted with his ultimate.

His awareness even drew praise from A’Deng: “666.”[mfn]666 – internet slang for “awesome” or “well done”; Very common in Chinese gaming culture, praising skill or cool plays.[/mfn]

Normally, Zeng Yuan’s jungle tempo outmatched A’Deng’s, but this time A’Deng picked Nocturne—a champion with far better support and gank potential than Sejuani.

At one point, Zeng Yuan secured a perfect gank angle in the bot lane, but the moment he appeared, A’Deng activated his ultimate[mfn]Paranoia (R) – it causes all enemy champions to be revealed to Nocturne and applies a global (or near-global) area of darkness, briefly obscuring vision for everyone except Nocturne[/mfn], plunging KUG into darkness and enabling Shen Ju’s escape.

The moment Nocturne was picked, Zeng Yuan knew exactly whose idea it was.

He muttered under his breath, “That old fox, Lin Jiang…”

As for the bot lane, there was no need to elaborate. Shen Ju and his Lucian-Nami combo could dominate any opposing duo. Even if the enemy Sejuani came to gank, the Nocturne’s ultimate could still protect their lives.

When it came to drafting compositions, one had to admit Lin Jiang was a master.

Especially with the mid lane pick, Twisted Fate.

Against a KUG team that likes to play aggressively, Lin Jiang managed to disrupt their rhythm with Twisted Fate.

Firstly, he could gank.

When Nocturne’s ultimate shrouded the enemy’s vision, Lin Jiang’s teleport would be invisible upon landing. This created a false sense of numbers, making the enemy think it was a 3v3 when it was actually a 3v4.

Secondly, he could provide support.

Whether it was skirmishes in the jungle or small-scale fights around the dragon pit, he always arrived on the scene before Alike, securing the high ground in every engagement.

Under Lin Jiang’s relentless interference, KUG’s rhythm was completely thrown off. Even Zeng Yuan, renowned for his tempo control, was left exasperated, “It’s chaos, absolute chaos.”

Alike refused to believe that he was doomed to lose to Lin Jiang forever.

As the enemy moved to take the dragon, Alike seized the perfect moment, flashing in with his ultimate[mfn]Summon: Tibbers (R) – allows her to summon her beloved teddy bear, Tibbers, as a fiery protector, who then attacks enemies. When Tibbers is summoned, he can stun nearby enemies and deal area-of-effect damage.[/mfn], stunning both Zhou Wen and Shen Ju.

His ultimate was executed flawlessly, but Shen Ju instantly cleansed the stun and flashed away, dodging the damage. Only Zhou Wen was caught and eliminated.

The commentators were stunned. “Is this the reaction speed of the younger generation? If sgod had been even a fraction slower, he’d be meeting the King of Hell!”

Still, taking out the enemy support was a solid play—it at least weakened Shen Ju’s presence in the fight.

Alike decisively commanded, “Take the dragon!”

Zeng Yuan had already secured two dragons. Taking this one would set them up for the Dragon Soul, forcing OT onto the defensive!

Just as momentum began shifting in KUG’s favor, Nocturne suddenly plunged the battlefield into darkness.

Nocturne’s ultimate effect shrouded all enemy vision except their own for six seconds. In other words, everyone on KUG could only see the vision under their feet and could not see their teammates outside their vision range!

As a result, KUG’s top laner couldn’t teleport down, while Song Zhixu could!

The fight instantly became a 4v4!

KUG visibly panicked and retreated from the dragon pit.

They couldn’t see their enemies, but their enemies could see them. Shen Ju’s ultimate[mfn]The Culing (R) – fires a barrage of shots from his weapons, dealing damage to the first enemy hit. Lucian’s ultimate is a key part of his kit, allowing for both offensive and defensive plays.[/mfn] sprayed bullets straight into their faces.

Lin Jiang’s target had always been Alike, who no longer had Flash. He stunned him with a gold card, and with Shen Ju’s follow-up damage, they eliminated him instantly.

A’Deng flew into the crowd, fearing the enemy bot lane duo, while Shen Ju dashed in and unleashed five rapid shots, leaving them critically low.

Whoosh, whoosh!

KUG’s bot lane both Flashed to escape!

Just as Nocturne’s ultimate duration ended and their vision returned, they suddenly saw an enraged tank charging straight at them.

The duo’s panicked cries echoed: “!!! Don’t come near us!”

Song Zhixu, who had teleported down, knocked both of them airborne, chaining into crowd control. With Shen Ju and Lin Jiang joining the pursuit, they secured the kills effortlessly.

By the time KUG’s top laner teleported down, it was already too late. He could only slink away in defeat.

OT turned the fight around with a 1-for-3 trade, clawing back the advantage at the last moment.

The commentators exclaimed, “OT’s coordination was impeccable! Despite being rookies, under River’s leadership, they’re growing bolder and more decisive!”

The audience also noticed that OT seemed to have truly become more confident as a team!

Just a month ago, Song Zhixu had still been known as the top laner who would always collapse under pressure—now, he could confidently hold his own on the top lane.

A’Deng had also found a playstyle that suited him, making decisive moves with every step.

Zhou Wen was beginning to shine too, his unique playstyle quietly setting him apart from the pack.

Only Shen Ju had changed in the opposite direction—becoming more restrained.

He was no longer the wild youth who’d charge headfirst into a 1v5 brawl without a second thought.

[LOL, looks like Dog Shen’s the only one who got more timid.]

[I’m dying of laughter. You guys are all evolving behind my boy Shen’s back?]

[Dog Shen doesn’t even dare to fart in front of Lin Jiang.]

[He’s probably been scolded a lot.]

[Breaking news from Jiangsu and Zhejiang fans—Shen Ju’s now a reformed man.]

While OT continued to grow stronger, KUG seemed to be crumbling.

Alike had never been as composed as Lin Jiang to begin with—some days brilliant, a disaster on others. And ever since Lin Jiang’s departure, the rest of the team had looked completely lost.

In previous years, KUG had been a guaranteed Worlds contender—at minimum, they were always a top-four team.

But this year?

[Who knows if they’ll even make it to Worlds.]

[Honestly, if OT qualifies, KUG’s spot might get taken.]

[Holy shit, the more you think about it, the scarier it gets.]

[KUG won’t really miss the World Championship, right?]

[If they lose in the regular season, it might actually happen…]

In the livestream footage, Alike’s face was tense. This match had clearly exhausted him, but more than anything, he was furious that Lin Jiang refused to engage him head-on.

He believed that in a direct confrontation, he might not necessarily lose to Lin Jiang!

The momentum increasingly favored OT. As the match neared its end, Lin Jiang pulled off a masterclass in deception.

He used his ultimate right in the enemy’s face, making everyone think he was throwing himself away. Alike and Zeng Yuan both cast their ultimates on him almost simultaneously.

But Lin Jiang—

—activated Zhonya’s Hourglass with a ding to dodge all the incoming skills!

A flawless 0.2-second reaction—a lesson in humility for his opponents.

The arena exploded.

How much confidence does it take to pull off a play like that?

In the livestream’s view, Lin Jiang seemed to have regained his former self—calm, confident and overlooking his enemies like a king.

The Lin Jiang of old was back. Slowly, surely, gloriously.

Deprived of their mid and jungle ultimates, KUG crumbled, collapsing step by step toward defeat.

This deceptive play shattered KUG’s last hope of a comeback. A full team wipe sealed their fate.

On the livestream’s broadcast, Alike slammed the table in frustration, earning himself a stern warning from the referee.

But even so, the fury of losing the match still left him unable to calm down.

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